Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame Football's Next Impactful Freshman Linebacker?

California product Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is wasting no time turning heads at Notre Dame's fall camp

Nick Shepkowski

Apr 20, 2024; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Kris Mitchell (10) carries the ball as linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27) attempts to tackle in the Blue-Gold Game at Notre Dame Stadium.
Apr 20, 2024; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish wide receiver Kris Mitchell (10) carries the ball as linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (27) attempts to tackle in the Blue-Gold Game at Notre Dame Stadium. / Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
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Sometimes there are freshman football players that step onto a college campus with a lot of hype, but you never really see their careers play out in grand fashion.

Since the second Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa enrolled early at Notre Dame back in January, the Bellflower (St. John Bosco), Cal. product has been turning heads, both on the field and off.

The four-star linebacker arrived to a snow-filled South Bend, which he met like probably no other 18-year-old California kid would - in shorts and sandals.

Despite not playing an actual down of football for Notre Dame yet, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa has brought a significant amount more of attention to the Fighting Irish linebacker group ahead of the season.

Despite being a freshman and competing with also highly recruited Drayk Bowen for playing time at the middle linebacker position, Viliamu-Asa is making other position coaches at Notre Dame see his talents.

“Kyngstonn came up, we had two guys block him, and he spun out both of them, with the back being one of them,” said Notre Dame running backs coach Deland McCullough last week. “I just watched the tape, and I said, ‘Are you kidding me? Are you kidding me?!! … How’s that happen?”

To the surprise of nobody, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden has also been impressed with Viliamu-Asa.

“Is it going to be hard to keep him off the field?” Golden said. “I would hope that he would fight into the mix. He’s doing a great job right now. … I’m really excited about the young man, and it’s warranted because of the way he approaches it.”

Recent Notre Dame Impact Freshman Linebackers


Viliamu-Asa is doing everything he can to force his way onto the field in a big way as a true freshman. It's certainly not unheard of at Notre Dame, but by no means does it happen on an annual basis, either. Below are Notre Dame linebackers of (fairly) recent note that wasted no time making an impact as true freshmen.

Brian Smith - 2007

On an otherwise forgettable 2007 defense, Smith made a bit of a splash right away. The St. Thomas Aquinas product made 25 tackles as a freshman, four of which came for a loss. He also intercepted a Matt Ryan pass and returned it for a touchdown against No. 4 Boston College in mid-October.

Manti Te'o - 2009

Long before he turned into a serious Heisman Trophy contender in 2012 (he should have won it if we're being honest), Manti Te'o made an impact immediately as a freshman for Notre Dame. Te'o recorded 63 tackles in 2009, good for fourth-most on the team. He also contributed 5.5 tackles for loss and a sack in his debut season.

Prince Shembo - 2010

Prince Shembo brought controversy with him wherever he went. When you look at him solely as a football player though and nothing else, he had an impactful year as a freshman in 2010. Although recording just 15 tackles on the year, five were for a loss while he contributed 4.5 sacks that fall (third-most on the team).

Jaylon Smith - 2013

Jaylon Smith was a difference maker from the second he stepped on the field at Notre Dame. Smith was a force in 2013, recording 58 tackles (fourth on team) and 5.5 tackles for loss (tied for second on team) as a freshman. Smith also showed his coverage skills as he intercepted a pass against USC and was credited with three passes defended his freshman year.

Greer Martini - 2014

Martini didn't make as many tackles his first season as Te'o but found himself on the field right away in 2014. Martini recorded 25 tackles, two of which came for a loss and also recorded a sack. Martini wasn't the only freshman linebacker to get called upon that year, however.

Nyles Morgan - 2014

Morgan's impact from a statistical standpoint was felt even more than Martini's. Morgan played in one less game than his freshman teammate but recorded 47 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, and half of a sack his freshman season.

Is Viliamu-Asa Next?

Nick's Quick Take: I know the microphoned helmet is new to college football this year but the fact that Al Golden is considering Viliamu-Asa to be the one player on defense wearing it should tell you everything you need to know.

I don't know if he'll be on the field the majority of time against Texas A&M or if Bowen will get the majority of reps, but it's pretty easy to tell that Viliamu-Asa is clearly playing the part of the future of Notre Dame at middle linebacker early on in his time there.

—Enjoy free coverage of the Irish from Notre Dame Fighting Irish on SI—

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